BY DEAN CLOETE
They’ve qualified for the World Test Championship at Lord’s next year after beating Pakistan in the first Test at Centurion on Sunday, and now the Proteas are looking to celebrate in style in the New Year’s Test innie Kaap.
Coach Shukri Conrad’s manskappe won the first match by two wickets and will conclude the series against Pakistan at Newlands in the second and final Test which starts on Friday.
South Africa won the three-match T20I series 2-0, Pakistan bagged the ODI series 3-0, meaning this match is the ultimate tour decider.
SA are flying high under the guidance of Conrad, with the coach saying of what makes his team tick: “The biggest thing for me is the unity we’ve got here.
“Egos, we leave them at the door. “We play for each other. We are just trying to find a way; whatever the obstacles are...
“I was sitting outside with KG [Rabada] in Bangladesh and the biggest thing for me, and that will stick with me for a long time, was him saying to me: ‘I’ve played in some great SA sides with legends such as Dale [Steyn], Vernon [Philander], Morne [Morkel], Graeme [Smith], Faf [du Plessis], but I’m playing with my mates now’.
“And that’s what they are, they are a bunch of mates together who want to have fun and win, and there are going to be some hiccups...
“But they’ve got each other’s backs. There’s a really strong bond in the change room... everyone pulls in the same direction.”
⚪️🟢Match Result
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) December 29, 2024
We came, we saw, and WE CONQUERED.👏🇿🇦😃
A partnership for the history books! From near misses to heart-stopping moments, South Africa pulls off an incredible victory by 2 wickets. 🏏
This one will be remembered for some time to come!✨#WozaNawe #BePartOfIt… pic.twitter.com/jcqTwVWBYu